Nippers U13 Development Camp Review by Grace Hefferan

Dec 08, 2016

Last weekend I, along with seven other Bondi nippers, had the privilege of attending a camp for selected U13 nippers along with 70 other kids our age from eleven different surf clubs that are part of Sydney Branch. The aim of the camp was to improve our skills in surf lifesaving, in areas such as CPR and tube rescue. Next season we will be aiming to get our SRC (Surf Rescue Certificate), a commendable achievement that means we become patrolling surf lifesavers. To be able to achieve this, knowing how to perform correctly is crucial, and this camp made all of us a lot more confident about striving for this goal.

Along with our training, we did also get to enjoy some really fun activities! We were put into groups without any other members of our own club in so we could interact with people we had never met before. We learnt to cooperate and work together as a team in canoeing, high ropes and on the trivia night. I got to know the members of my group really well and made some strong friendships with people who, if I had been with my club friends, would have never got to know. My group also participated in abseiling and in the afternoons joined everyone else on the waterslide and in the pool.

On the Sunday, we were put into another group, this time in our club along with three others who we spent our three training courses with. Surf lifesavers ran the sessions, they were: CPR training, tube rescue for both conscious and unconscious people, along with how to treat a weak patient in the water when confronted with a wave, and lastly, a thrilling ride in the IRB around the lake. That morning, we enjoyed a visit from Lifesaver of the Year, Kane Hughes, who spoke to us about the importance of leadership and teamwork in surf lifesaving from his own experiences as Patrol Captain. We contributed to Kane’s talk by discussing altogether the qualities a leader needs to work efficiently, inclusively and peacefully as well as working on a big mindmap.

Over the last couple of hours of the camp we put our new knowledge to the test in the Club Championships. Despite not making it very far into the competition, we had improved so much and had lots of fun with our new and old friends and we are so grateful we got to enjoy this incredible experience.